Our school had organized a CAS trip to Gir, Gujarat. The village is the only home to endangered Asiatic Lions. There are only 523 lions living in the Gir, though the number of lions is rising yet there is a danger, many wells built over the time in the village for domestic use are uncovered and these lions often fell in and die. The wells are camouflaged into their surroundings; small bushes and grasses, so when lions come out at night they are not able to identify these wells and fell and die if their voices are not heard by the villagers. And still, there are 18,000 wells uncovered in this part and surrounding villages. Therefore, as a part of out CAS activity, we had to build a steel cover for two of these wells which would be made after cutting, welding, hammering, grinding and lastly installing the cover onto the well. We were able to attain a good outcome with the help of an engineer and two experts.

It was a three-day trip, and from the very first day we started working on making the wells and we set our agenda of how much work will we do in three days. We also talked about the life of locals and about the creatures of the jungle. The main purpose of this activity was to cutback the possibility of these lions falling into the well.

LO1: Identify own strength and develop areas for growth.

I realized that I was most comfortable with grinding and welding work, so rather than doing more of a measurement and cutting work, I focused on grinding and welding so that I could contribute best of my skill to make the well and also it would be more fun. Measuring and joining the rodes was something that I struggled with.

LO2: Demonstrating that challenges have been undertaken, developing new skills in the process.

The making of the wells included different activities which I had never done before. At first, it seemed scary because of the sparks and the noise moreover, it required more concentration, as if not done properly we might hurt ourselves, but then later when we hands-on did the work it became much more comfortable. Particularly talking about welding, it was a bit tough for me as I don’t wear lens and without glasses, I couldn’t do it properly at the right spot, but with frequent doing it I got adjusted with it. After doing the activities once my excitement and eagerness of doing these activities again increased and that helped me well with learning new practical skills and gained a lot of knowledge about where and how to use different machines in making objects. It is really important for everyone to challenge themselves with the smallest thing possible as it helps in developing a new skill, enhance brain power, and could stave off dementia. Though this activity may or may not help me in the future, but I have gained the experience and that is more than enough.

LO4: Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS activities.

This activity required commitment in order to save lions and other animals from falling into the well. We had to be dedicated as it was rainy weather and it would have rained anytime so had to complete the work before time. The main reason which kept me focused throughout is to help the last living population of Asiatic Lions and other jungle animals losing their lives by falling into the well. And not only me but everyone attending the activity were so committed that we completed our two days work before time and in the extra time we gained knowledge about the interactions, lifestyle, and stories about the villagers and lions.

For me, it gets easy to commit to things in which I’m engaged in. The main thing which keeps me focused is the main aim of the activity and also, I always try my best in whatever activity I do. It is very important for one to show commitment as it helps in influencing others. Commitment also fosters camaraderie, trust, and caring, it helps in taking down any obstacle that comes in the way and keeps us motivated in achieving our goal.

LO 5: Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively.

As the cover of the well had to be made in two days, there was plenty amount of work which was supposed to be done and with efficiency so had to work together to get the best. We were divided into two teams as we had to make two well covers, this made the process speed up. Everyone was cooperative and understanding which made the task even easier to complete.

I usually enjoy working in a team as collaboration within a group can help solve difficult problems and brainstorming is a good opportunity for the team to exchange views and to come up with creative ways of doing things.

LO6: Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance.

Gir wildlife sanctuary is the last home of Asiatic Lions. Saving the last lions is essential to let the population grow and to make sure the durability of these invaluable species. Humans are responsible in some or the other way for the declining population of Asiatic Lions and threatened the existence of many species and even have made them extinct. It becomes our responsibility to ensure that the rest of the population is safe. This CAS activity caters to this global issue and it makes me feel happy that somewhere down the line I have contributed some of my time in conserving these lions.

At last, this activity was a whole new experience which made me reflect on my strengths and weaknesses and also made gave me hands-on experience. The final outcome, the completion of our task made me really happy.